The Case Studies

Brick – better to come home to

More than just beautifully versatile: there are solid environmental and health benefits to living with brick.

All building products use energy in their manufacture, (referred to as embodied energy) but bricks’ longevity and minimal maintenance far outweigh their embodied energy. Environmental benefits, health benefits and energy savings – Brick is better to come home to on so many levels.

Claims that clay brick is a superior building material for both people and planet are supported by the fact that bricks contribute toward green building credits in ratings programs like LEED and Green Star.

Kiln firing makes bricks super tough – they won’t rot, rust, corrode, decay, or encourage mould. The raw materials in clay brick won’t cause indoor air pollution by off gassing, and because bricks don’t need painting, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that come along with paints and varnishes don’t become part of your home either.

Bricks also add to a home’s thermal mass, absorbing and storing heat until needed, cleverly making passive or active solar heating systems more effective. It’s possible to lower home heating and cooling bills by up to 25%, by combining bricks with insulation.

And with energy bills predicted to rise even further in the next few years, these savings are set to increase. Despite this thermal quality, they’re also fire-resistant, even in extreme temperatures, and won’t burn, catch fire or give off dangerous fumes.

Using bricks in the internal walls of your home help to control internal temperatures, and provide extra noise insulation – a very good idea for family homes! When used externally, brick provides excellent protection against extreme weather conditions, particularly potentially dangerous wind-blown debris.

By building with bricks, you’ll not only enjoy low maintenance and better energy efficiency, you’re also reducing your household’s carbon pollution.* And that’s good for everyone.

* Based on the average NSW Household energy usage, building with bricks can save you up to 2 tonnes of carbon pollution per year by using less energy.